Edge computing has become a necessity for modern businesses, whether in healthcare, retail, utilities or smart cities. It provides the capability to run critical applications and services locally which offers numerous advantages such as lower latency, faster response times, increased security and enhanced customer experiences.
How does edge computing fit into the cloud industry? That’s an encompassing question that must be examined from all perspectives.
Distributed Computing
Many modern applications rely on distributed computing to complete their tasks. For instance, a video editor running on client computer divides an assignment into pieces that can be executed by different computers (or nodes).
Distributed systems are inherently scalable, as each machine can operate independently and be turned off once there is no more work to do. They also offer redundancy, meaning if one node fails, other nodes can still function until a replacement takes its place.
Distributed systems are ideal for organizations that have many data-intensive applications that must run across various devices and locations. Furthermore, this helps businesses adhere to government regulations which prohibit personal data export from their country.
Real-Time Processing
Real-time data processing is essential for many applications, particularly healthcare and autonomous vehicles, where delays could prove fatal.
In the healthcare industry, wearable sensors and other devices collect vast amounts of patient data. Unfortunately, high latency in data transmission as well as security concerns can present challenges.
Edge computing offers a solution to these problems by bringing data processing close to the device. This is especially crucial in remote locations where cloud connectivity may be intermittent or nonexistent.
Oil and gas companies may use edge computing to monitor their plants. By running analytics on devices close to the asset, companies are able to detect issues before they become costly disasters. Furthermore, this helps guard against data piracy, corruption or loss.
Machine Learning
Machine learning (ML) is an innovative and efficient method for processing data. It can assist organizations in making better decisions and achieving their business objectives.
However, ML often necessitates large computational capacities. This makes it challenging to implement on edge devices that typically have limited processing power.
Cloud computing services offer a solution. These enable businesses to rapidly deploy Machine Learning models without needing an army of data scientists or in-depth understanding of machine learning theory and algorithms.
Many popular cloud services provide a broad selection of machine learning models suitable for various use cases. Furthermore, they include SDKs and APIs that enable organizations to integrate ML functionality directly into their applications.
Big Data
The cloud allows businesses to store, process and distribute vast amounts of data from any device connected to the network. This provides for great flexibility and scale while cutting costs significantly.
However, it’s also vulnerable to disruptions and the loss of critical data if there are network failures.
Edge computing aims to address these problems by moving some data processing work away from a central data center and closer to where the actual data is created. This can save bandwidth, enhance response times and provide a safer environment for sensitive information.
Edge computing has already seen success in several industries, such as transportation and healthcare. For instance, smart traffic sensors and intelligent transportation systems can use edge computing to perform real-time data analysis.